Plymouth unions say scrapping national pay rates for public sector workers would lead to more people on benefits, more unable to pay their mortgages and more families being broken up.

The stark warning comes as the Chancellor's expected to announce the move in his budget on Wednesday.

It would mean workers like teachers, nurses and civil servants having their pay frozen until they match that of the private sector.

Local factors like the cost of living and house prices would be taken into account but public sector workers are already into their second year of a pay freeze.

Dave Franklin from Plymouth's PCS Union says the city would be particularly badly hit, as it has one of the highest public sector employment rates in the country. He says although house prices in Plymouth are cheaper than elsewhere, council tax isn't low, food prices and energy prices are the same as everywhere else and our water rates are the highest in the country.